"O what is that, mamma?"

"You may pray to God for them; pray that he will graciously bless their labours; pray for the out-pouring of the Spirit; pray that the Saviour, in whose name you plead, may work with them and through them."

She

And Edith was left alone. While her mamma was gone to church, she thought, prayerfully thought, on all that had been said; and, what was better, she afterwards practised it. gave from her own little purse, she had her little collecting cards; and, though at first some turned coldly from her, yet her friends and young companions soon began to feel interested when she read to them some of the touching details recorded in the quarterly papers, and other missionary publications, of each society; and she eventually became the humble instrument of laying a foundation of missionary zeal in many a youthful breast; a zeal, whose precious and richly multiplying benefits are beyond calculation, at least in this beclouded world; but in that other world, where all clouds shall roll away-O there imagination fails!

NOTICE OF BOOKS.

Among the books which have reached us are the following:

"The Journal of Sacred Literature," edited by Dr. Kitto. No. III. for April. London: Blackader. 1852. We are always glad to welcome this journal. The first article in the present number is a very important one, entitled, "Romanism as it is." The writer of it confesses that he once believed Romanism changed, and thought it hard to visit the sins of the fathers ruthlessly on their children. He is obliged, however, to give up such an idea: "Alas! we were in error; we grievously erred. We now know that we erred. We owe the painful assurance in part to a more thorough study of [Roman] catholicism in its principles and in its history. We owe the painful assurance chiefly to the conduct of [Roman] catholics themselves. It is they who have dissipated our pleasing illusion. It is by their hand that our eyes have been opened. [Roman] catholicism is in essentials unchanged and unchangeable. What it was in the days of Gregory VII. and of Leo X., that it is now; in claims equally exclusive, in spirit equally despotic, in doctrine equally corrupt; the system more fully developed in theory, and in practice only restrained by overruling and inevitable circumstances." And then we have a statement of facts sufficiently proving this assertion. The whole article is well worthy of perusal. The next is is also interesting, on Gregory of Nazianzum: it is followed by a continuation of the paper on the Rephaim. There is also an amusing notice of "Recent Travels in Palestine," enlivened with various quotations; together with other pieces, the whole being what we are glad to recommend to our readers.

"A History of British Birds." By the rev. F. O. Morris, B.A., &c. London: Groombridge and Sons. 1851. We have before favourably noticed the earlier numbers of this work: the first volume is now completed, comprising fifteen parts, with descriptions and engravings of sixty different species. The engravings are very beautifully coloured, and the descriptions are agreeably written, with much curious information respecting the habits of the various birds. Take the following as illustrative of what we are saying, from the history of the raven: "When a boy at school, a tame raven was very attentive in watching our cribs or

bird-traps; and, when a bird was taken, he endenvoured to catch it by turning up the crib; but, in so doing, the bird always escaped, as the raven could not let go the crib in time to seize it. After several vain attempts of this kind, the raven, seeing another bird caught, instead of going at once to the crib, went to another tame raven, and induced him to accompany him, when (the one lifted up the crib, and the other bore the poor captive off in triumph." How wonderfully does the whole creation bear its testimony to the power and wisdom of him who formed the various parts thereof, the beasts of the field, the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, each having its remarkable instincts, and its faculties exactly adapted to the mode of life it was intended to pursue! Mr. Morris very properly points our thoughts upward, and has impressed upon the front of his volume the appropriate motto, "Gloria in excelsis Deo:" "Glory to God in the highest." This is the temper in which we would have natural history studied; and we rejoice that one with such aims has undertaken the work before us. We trust that it will be successfully carried on to its completion. Meantime we cordially recommend the present volume to our readers.

"Congregational Psalmody for the Services of the Church of England: arranged for every Sunday and Holiday in the Year, for each Service, and for each part of each Service." By the rev. H. Hughes, M.A., Perpetual Curate of All-Saints', Gordon-square. London: Shaw. 1851. It is a sad deficiency that we have no authorized collection of psalms and hymns. The consequence is that there are endless varieties of hymn-books. In few churches do Tate and Brady, or Sternhold and Hopkins maintain an undivided rule; and, therefore, the psalmody varies according to the taste of the clergyman. In the parish in which we are writing, three different books are used in three different churches. We have often wished that the archbishops and bishops would agree to recommend some one collection: such a collection would, ere long, be found in most parishes throughout the country. But, while these diversities are allowed to prevail, we think Mr. Hughes's book has as fair a claim as almost any we know to approval. A favourable opinion of it has, we understand, been expressed by one archbishop and six bishops. It is cheap; and it presents the peculiar feature (though occasionally we fancy inconvenience may arise from this) that the congregation may know as well the particular hymns for each Sunday as they do the particular collects. We shall be glad if our notice help to make this book more generally known.

"Liverpool Church of England Institution Lectures: Tradition." By the rev. E. Tottenham, B.D., pre bendary of Wells, and minister of Laura chapel, Bolton. Liverpool: Thompson. 1852. An able lecture.

"The Jew." By the author of "Both One in Christ." Fifth edition. London: Wertheim and Co. 1852. A work which has reached a fifth edition can hardly need a critical recommendation. It is the production of a son of Abraham, now a Christian clergyman, and contains much that is of remarkable interest. But we shall give our readers a better notion of this volume if we lay before them a lengthened extract; which we propose doing as speedily as

we can.

"The Life and Adventures of Lady Anne, the Little Pedlar." London: Law. 1852. Story-writers are fond of describing the miserable condition of some poor child who has been lost or stolen, but who is afterwards reclaimed and advanced to wealth and happiness. This is one of the class. We do not know whether there is any foundation of fact for it; but it is nicely written, and inculcates very strikingly the maxim that "Honesty is the best policy."

We have also received "Antar, and other Poems,"

SWEET is the assurance,
As blest as it is true,
"Not as the world giveth,
Give I unto you."

Worldly peace is fleeting,

Oft is marred by sorrow;

Calm this hour is greeting,
Storms may rise to-morrow.

But the peace he giveth

Is unmixed with sadness;

For "ashes" he gives "beauty,"

For "sackcloth" he gives "gladness."

He forgives us freely,

Though our hearts we harden:

"Not as the world giveth,"

Doth the Saviour pardon.

The world imparts its favours,
And looks for ought again:
He gives choicest blessings,

Nor doth his grace refrain.

So a tender parent
Lovingly bestoweth
Kindness, from a bosom
That ever overfloweth.

Thus he gives his Spirit,

As on this holy day,

To fill our hearts with pleasure
That never fades away.

Hadst thou, blessed Jesus,

Dealt with me as the world,"
Down to shades of sorrow
My spirit had been hurl'd.

And many an age shall yet pass o'er
Ere Eschol bloom again :
But wine of Cana cheers our hearts
Still, and erewhile shall be
A joy o'er earth, as in the parts
Of wondering Galilee.

Sweet was the grape on Lebanon,
And Judah's vineyards fair;
But Cana's wine a nobler one

Than man had dreamed of there.
And it was mingled without hands,
And made without the dowers
Of vintage for the blooming bands
In true love's bridal bowers.

Six waterpots with water they

Fill'd; and drew out and bore
Good wine round on that festive day
Where humbler pass'd before.
Yes, wine was brought; but many an One
Knew not where from, or how

It came, save that, where water gone,
There wine was sparkling now.

A prophet's rod struck out of stone
Water; but the divine

Man willed, and at his will alone
The water changed to wine,
For wedding guests and wedded love
And future times to know

The glory of the world above

Has reach'd these worlds below.

And ever more, where'er two fond
And trusting spirits claim

To walk at large in holy bond

Beneath one shade, one name,
We mind them at our church's shrine
How Christ a blest and new

Thing wrought to give his people wine;
And so will bless them too.

Who welcome Christ at marriage feast
May taste therein the wine

He drinks* on high with kings and priests,
And shall among them shine,

Unhurt on earth mid blast and bane,

And having to them given

Light, from destruction to the reign
Of perfect love in heaven.

Huttoft, Feb. 1, 1852.

• Matt. xxvi. 29.

Misellaneous.

As to "the body of the church," does the phrase mean the nave as distinguished from the chancel? or the inside of the church as distinguished from the outside the porch, for instance, where marriages were wont to be solemnized? According to the latter sense, the rubric is complied with by the custom of the minister celebrating the office at the rails, and thence withdrawing and "going to the Lord's table" for the psalms and what follows.-Bp. Mant.

London: Published for the Proprietors, by JOHN HUGHES, 12, Ave-Maria Lane, St. Paul's; and to be procured, by order, of all Booksellers in Town and Country

PRINTED BY ROGERSON AND TUXFORD, 246, STRAND, LONDON,

WILTON CHURCH.

WILTON is a small borough in the county to which it gives name, and stands 3 miles W. by N. from Salisbury, and 85 W.S.W. from London. The town, consisting principally of two streets, which cross at nearly right angles, is situated in a broad and fertile valley near the confluence of the rivers Nadder and Wily, and is partially paved and well supplied with water. The manufacture of carpets, for which Wilton has been so much celebrated, was introduced by a former earl of Pembroke, who brought over workmen from France for that purpose, this being the first place in England where this manufacture commenced; and, the manufacture of carpets at Axminster having been recently discontinued, those splendid articles called Axminster carpets are now manufactured at Wilton.

The earlier history of this town ought not to go without notice. "At the meeting of these two rivers (above-named) Willey," says Camden, "giveth his name to Wilton, a place well watered, and sometime the head town of the whole shire, which chereof took the name. In ancient times it was called Ellandunum; for so we are informed by the testimomy of old parchment records, which have in express terms Weolsthan, earl of Ellandunum, that is to say, of Wilton; and in another place, that he founded a little monastery at Ellandunum, that is, at Wilton. By this name Ellan, I am partly induced to think that this is the river Alan, which Ptolemy mentioneth on this coast of the country. At this town it was that, in the year of our redemption 821, Egbert, king of the West Saxons, obtained a victory against Beor-Wulf of Mercia; but so mortal a battle it was to both parties, that the very river flowed commixed with the blood of those who were allied in blood and dissevered in faction. At this town also, in the year of salvation 871, Elfred [Alfred the Great], joining battle with the Danes, had the better hand at first; but, immediately the alternative fortune of war coming No. 947.

about, he was put to the worst, and driven to retire. In the Saxons' time it flourished with the best in numbers of inhabitants; and king Eadgar, as our chronicles bear witness, beautified it with a nunnery, whereof he made his own daughter Edith himself, bearing date an. 974, it appeareth cerprioress. But by the ancient charter of Eadgar tainly to be of more antiquity. For therein it is thus written: The monastery, which by king Edward, my great-grandfather's grandfather, was founded in a well-frequented and peopled place, that by a known name is by the inhabitants called Wilton.' And in the life of St. Edward the Confessor we read thus: While St. Edward went in hand with the building of the monast ry of St. Peter in Westminster, Editha his wife began tery princely built of stone, in lieu of the church at Wilton (where she was brought up) a monasmade of timber, following the king's good affection with the like devotion of her own.' And, albeit Sueno, the Dane, spoiled this town most grievously in the raging heat of hostility, yet fell it not so greatly to decay, until the bishops of Salisbury turned another way the common passage that lay before through it in to the west countries. For then by little and little it fell to ruin, and is now, as it were, a small village, having nothing to boast of but a mayor for the head magistrate, and in it a passing fine house of the earls of Pembroke, raised out of the ruins of the old religious house. But, most of all, it was overtopped and shadowed, first by Sorbiodunum, and now by Salisbury, that is risen out of the ruin thereof."

Wilton church is a most remarkable structure. It was erected a few years ago, instead of the old decayed building, by the munificence of Mr. S. Herbert. It will best be judged of by the accompanying view. But it may be added that the interior is gorgeous in the extreme. The most costly materials have been used for its adornment; and no words can adequately describe the impression which must be made upon the mind of him who for the first time enters it.

The population of Wilton, at the census of 1841, was 1,698.